WE HAVE TO INFORM YOU, THAT THE WINGMAN CHALLENGE FOR 2024 IS CANCELED. DO NOT WORRY, WE ARE PREPARING ANOTHER ADVENTURES SOON! STAY TUNED

September 14 to 28, 2024

1100 miles unsupported through California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho

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The ultimate adventure challange you will remember!

Fly more than 1100 miles through 4 states,.. Cross mountain passes, lava fields, rivers, forests, deserts, canyons… plan your own routes, check the weather, find your own fuel stops and camping places.+

Yes, it is hard to do it unsupported, but it is impossible to do it with support. Do you recall any pilot in the whole history of Icarus Trophy who had his partner driving a camper along the route ever fly a route this long to the finish line? In fact, it was not their fault at all! While good sleep in a camper may seem like a great idea, it is exactly the opposite. Spooning your partner in a warm bed would make it impossible for you to get up before sunrise again and again. 

You have to do it on your own because that is the only way. And in the end, you will feel like a hero because you will become a hero.

New route: California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho details to be specified

• combines mountains and flats, peaks and valleys, green and desert because we love variety
• cuts through the best of the wild west because we love open space and it is more adventurous

We keep the amazing from last time and make it even better:

• overall distance will be the same because we want it to be challenging. We believe the 1100 miles was about just about right.
• route is carefully planned that it allows some shortcuts in case the weather sucks or if someone simply feels too tired.
• the route also gives participants more freedom in planning and making detours and include small adventures on the way
• the route allows to avoid high-elevation take-offs although there are plenty mountains for you to spice-up your adventure if you like:-)
• start and finish is the same spot this time to make logistics for the participants easier
• we keep the two mandatory resting days because it was fun to get together and share the stories
• as last time we will have safety vehicles, large support team, stock of spare parts and tools
• just as last time we will have satellite trackers and a guarding angel monitoring your position and situation. 
• participants limited to 20 pilots because that seemed to be a good number last time

Use the two weeks to the fullest (including rest)

The whole distance would be doable in 4-5 days if the weather is good and you push it really really hard. But then you would skip some beautiful places on your way and arrive at the finish line totally destroyed. Even if you would not quit from exhaustion somewhere in the middle, why rush the whole race in 5 days and then wait alone for the others in the finish line?

Instead of racing, we want to enjoy it to the fullest. And for that we need rest days. The whole route will be split into 3 sections. For every section there will be a specified date for all of us to meet for rest days: sleep, food, shower, fix the engine, friends, stories, photos, beers…

Sometimes you may want to push harder. Well, no one said you need to take the shortest route to the next meeting point. Take a detour, discover new places, see the country.

This is not a competition!

There is no trophy for the first one to arrive. This is not about who has the fastest glider or who takes the most risks.

The pilots with the craziest and funniest stories will win.
The pilots taking the best photos will win.
The pilots taking the most detours will win.
You will be a winner in any case because you will become a better pilot.

Fly into the unknown

Something you never did before. You maybe don’t even know how it feels!

Become a better pilot.

You do things you have never done before.
Weeks before the adventure you will receive a complete guide how to do your own research and preparation.

• Research possible routes between meeting points. Would you prefer to fly along the highway or rather take this shortcut over 2 mountain passes?
• Find refueling options, locate airfields or gas stations with open fields around for landing and take off, check on street view if there is any fence around…
• Prepare multiple alternatives so yo you can flexibly chose one according to weather 
• Create your own maps and setup your navigation app in your phone
• Upgrade your gear (bags, additional fuel, sensors, gadgets, cameras) and test it.
• Get to know your gear properly: do lots of preparation flights to measure your airspeed and flight range at different trim settings or altitudes.

Right before the adventure begins consult your flight plan with experienced pilots. Discuss route, weather, fuel stops, elevation considerations…

Get continuous advice and guidance during the adventure

You will not be the same pilot you were before.
Period.

Troubles will make you stronger.

That is the best part. Something will go wrong and it is part of the adventure. You may run out of fuel, your prop may hit a stone, you may be too optimistic about the weather forecast or make a few wrong decisions. Improvise, be creative, be committed. Hitchhike, ask strangers to stay overnight, order Uber to bring you a bottle of two stroke oil and hide it under a specified bush where you hope to find it…

For each section you will fly unsupported. As long as you are not in danger, it is all part of the adventure. Sometimes it will be tough… But in the end you will have great stories to tell.

We will watch your back.

You will get a satellite communicator to call for help anywhere, even if there is no mobile signal.

Beyond that we will constantly monitor your position and make sure you are safe. If we see your dot on the map has stopped on an unusual spot and you are not responding, we will go and check your situation.

As we will have a few off-road support vehicles following you all along the route, there is a good chance one of them will be nearby.

Note: The support vehicles are there to maximize your safety, not your comfort. We are not there to make it easier but safer. The support vehicles will not drive you over mountain passes or give you shelter if it rains. We will not come with a canister if you run out of fuel. Solve your problem and in the end you will have a good story to tell. That is all part of the challenge you decided to face and we do not want to take that away from your experience.

We leave no-one behind!

We will all meet at every waypoint. Whoever stayed behind for whatever reason, will be picked up to join the group. Whoever had an engine issue, we will do our best to fix it and get you back in the air.

Fresh, rested and motivated by the comradery everybody starts again for the next multi-day section. Yes, you may fly in groups of course, at least you will have photos of you:-)

Spare parts and technician available.

A truck full of SCOUT and Vittorazi parts will follow us all the way. If you fly another brand, you may have your own specific spare parts in our truck too. 

There will be a mechanic in the team too. And if he cannot fix it, then no one can. For that unlikely case we have a spare paramotor and a spare glider!

Note: At each meeting point we can help you to fix your paramotor but not in between. If you get grounded during a section, it is your task to get to the next meeting point. You may have spares shipped to you by FedEx or hitchhike to the meeting point. It is all part of the adventure and we will not interfere. Should you not be able to make it on your own despite trying hard, we will pick you up to catch up with the whole team.

Don’t worry about logistics

We have rental paramotors for all overseas pilots who cannot bring their own.

We will arrange shipping of your gear to the USA. Just pack your paramotor, ship it to SCOUT headquarters in Slovakia and we will organize shipping of them to the USA. As we ship a lot and we will ship more at one we will get a better deal for you. 

We will also transport all your stuff from the start point through the meeting points to the finish line. 

Optional: we can arrange transport of your gear to the start point again.

Meet new paramotor friends for life

All the new paramotor experience, stories and photos are amplified if shared with friends over a good BBQ and with a beer in hand.

Dates: September 14 to 28, 2024

Start and finish: Plumas County Nervino Airport, near Reno, Nevada, to be specified later

Arrival September 14th Saturday evening – welcome party

September 15th Sunday – Preparation day – it does take the whole day even if don’t believe it

• 9am registration
• group briefing
• individual briefings, consultation on your planned route, setting up the satellite trackers
• assistance with gear, testing
• fun flying together
• go to sleep early

Start of flying adventure wingman:

• September 16th Monday – start of the adventure
• September 19th – mandatory rest day
• September 23rd – Mandatory rest day
• September 26th – arrival to the finish line
• September 27th – rest day, packing, final party
• September 28th departure

PRICE

2590 USD participation fee

1186 USD for SCOUT PARAMOTOR rental if you need it.

What’s included?

• satellite tracker
• constant monitoring of your position for your safety
• 3 support vehicles driving along
• guidance, advice
• logistics of your gear and spare parts from start through meeting points to finish line
• accommodation in the meeting points and finish line
• BBQ parties in the meeting points and finish line
• comradery, adventure, challenge, …

We may arrange for you at extra cost:

• shipping of your gear from EU to US and back
• shipping of your paramotor to any address in the US after the adventure

Not included:

• fuel and oil for your paramotor (you plan your route and your fuel stops on your own)
• accommodation during your flight (you plan your route and sleeping spots on your own)
• transport of you and your PPG gear during flying days (you are expected to fly, not take a ride:-)
• transport of you from finish line back to starting point (take a plan or bus, eventually we may have a seat or two)

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